half•alive // Live Review

Hailing from Long Beach, CA and currently signed to Sony’s RCA label, the band did wonders to their live performance reputation this side of the pond, creating an electric atmosphere with their lightning guitar riffs and sharp choreography. The band, active for the past year and a half, came into existence after lead singer Josh Taylor challenged himself to write 50 songs in seven months. Some of those formed the basis of the band’s debut EP ‘3’, which they performed in its entirety.

Taylor’s personal lyrics held up well in front of an intimate yet packed Camden crowd. The front man demonstrated he’s a man of many talents, showing off some of the dance moves that helped push still feel, their biggest single to date, to upwards of 16 million YouTube views (a video that Taylor directed). He’s also likely cemented his place as a heartthrob among some members of the crowd post performance, after proclaiming his love for the audience mid show.

“The front man demonstrated he’s a man of many talents, showing off some of the dance moves that helped push still feel, their biggest single to date”

The feel of the 45 minute display was markedly DIY, and the band’s extras had no shortage of talent themselves: one stole the show with a trumpet solo closing out the performance of Tip Toes, and a couple others manually carried on and off a projection screen of swirling visuals, showing that they were more than just a pair of master crump dancers.

On the other side of a couple pop covers, arrow, the band’s latest single offering, showcased the angst-like tropes that season their output, with lyrics such as “The hardest place to be, is right where you are” and “Now I’m restless, running from the present”. The track also provided a perfect appetiser for still feel, the show’s booming crescendo. If this was anything to go by, half•alive are not to be taken lightly – A new project titled ‘*7’ is in the works, and judging the fresh and considered direction in their sound and image, they’ll definitely continue to buzz around concert venues and the blogosphere in the near future.